Germany's Neuschwanstein castle becomes UNESCO World Heritage Site | AFP

The Neuschwanstein castle in Germany's Bavaria, perhaps best known for inspiring Walt Disney's fairytale castles, has been named a World Heritage site, according to the UN cultural agency. Neuschwanstein combines an idealised medieval exterior with architectural techniques considered cutting‑edge at the time. Three other royal residences, also constructed in the late 19th Century under the famously arts‑obsessed King Ludwig II of Bavaria, have also been added to the coveted list: Herrenchiemsee, Linderhof and Schachen.